The curveballs of life. Some good, some bad, some undetermined until time has a chance to show you what opportunity awaits. As many already know, I recently relocated to Georgia from Utah, and the past year has seemed to fly by like crazy. Although leaving Utah was one of the most bittersweet events of my life so far, I definitely am loving Georgia and was very excited to jump at this new opportunity in life.

With this being said, one of the first things that popped into my mind before this move took place was “but what about the fishing..?” Upon first glance, I was viewing this as somewhat of a downgrade. To plug Utah really quick, other than Alaska, I would say that this is probably the second-best solely freshwater fly fishing state in the United States (Wisconsin/Minnesota could be in the conversation as well). I’m talking about the actual state itself…not in terms of proximity to other locations, in that the West is a tough place to state hop in a car. The variety of species and different bodies of water in Utah is pretty tough to beat.

With this being said, I’m finding that Georgia is definitely a dark horse fly-fishing state. As this post will discuss, the saltwater fly fishing opportunities in Savannah and other coastal towns is unbelievable, and the creeks/rivers and lakes also can be very productive. On of the biggest benefits of Georgia, however, is the proximity to other states – i.e. Florida, TN, AL. Whether it’s a 45-minute flight, or a 3-5 hour drive, you can be in some of the best saltwater fly fishing spots in the country. That one is benefit of the behemoth ATL airport.

I recently had the opportunity to fly-fish for redfish down in Savannah, and boy was I impressed. Not only at the sheer number of fish we saw, but the quality as well. Pushing the flats boat up in two feet of water to catch quality redfish all day was pretty amazing for a 3-hour drive, and was a great way to test out new fly patterns. It reminded me a bit of Louisiana, but also of the Florida Panhandle, in that the water was clear but the marshes were vast. Savannah is also a special place to get a drink and nice meal after a hot day on the water.

In addition to the saltwater, I have been having a blast with the local creek and pond fishing in the Atlanta metroplex. Although it took a vast amount of research to find these somewhat urban spots, the species and experiences have been great. Whether it has been catching wipers below major dams, or sight casting big redbreast sunfish with topwater flies, the amount of fishing opportunities close to the city is definitely overlooked. There are also a plethora of largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill in the local ponds, spotted bass in the larger lakes and rivers, and then even shoal bass in many of the creek systems. Georgia has been huge in terms of crossing new species off the list for me. Below are some of my solo-shots from recent outings.

Can’t wait to see what other fly opportunities present themselves in Georgia, and am beyond grateful to have a passion that follows me no matter where I live.

Tight lines!

Joe